Dog days

Dog days of summer? Maybe in more ways than one, with those dog owners that are sheltering having more time to spend with their canine friends. Thankfully the heat has not arrived, although it's only a matter of time. Meanwhile let's enjoy the temperate weather, at least for those of us near the bay or ocean.

Today it's all about the photos. Here they are.

Below is my Blue Bear's Paw fern. They can also be grown indoors.

These Blechnum Silver Lady ferns have prospered in this hanging planter.

Fuchsias usually want some shade but so far this newly added F. Autumnale is loving the sun.

Lily Scherezade. A lovely variation on the stargazer lily.

Though done blooming, my dwarf Jacaranda has lovely fern-like foliage.

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue.' Light green foliage, black calyxes and vivid purple flowers!

Ponytail palm. Yes, they're hardy enough to grow outdoors. Mine has, over time, developed 3 huge caudices.

There aren't many flowers showier than Hibiscus. Here's a H. rosa-sinensis called Cherie. Fab!

One of my favorite bromeliads, a Neoregelia. Love the colors!

Here's my main collection of bromeliads.

One of the last lilies to bloom this year, L. Beverly Dreams was worth the wait!

Portulacaria afra golden. This succulent with petite golden leaves has made itself at home in my succulent bed.

New this year were a collection of Roselilies, so named because they have a double form. Pinks and whites.

Though I only got the one Lily Rio Negro flower this year, it was a beaut!

That's MR hedgehog to you! I found this treasure at a pottery place in Sunol. He has since been planted with snapdragons.

Agastache Blue Fortune. One of my success stories this year.

I have lots of lilies in my garden, including a number of different tiger lily varieties. Here's your classic Tiger lily - bright orange, black spotting, recurved petals.

My Gloriosa (lily) flowers are beginning to unfurl. They start out green then color into a red with yellow borders.

I need to take a photo of the flowers that have now opened on my Puya mirabilis. It has otherworldly lime green flared tubular flowers that are a good 5" long.

Here's my latest mixed succulent bowl. I'd wanted to use small black stones but since those were not available I used these metallic bluish-gray ones.

Begonia Autumn Ember. This beauty has been easy to care for.

My six new bromeliads. I now have ~ 40 different Neoregelias, Aechmeas and Billbergias.

A closeup photo of 3 of the above 6 bromeliads.